Doris Roberts and her Texas connection: William Goyen

Many of the obituaries for actress Doris Roberts, who became a household name primarily because of her role on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” are missing a key point. For 20 years, she was married to Houston writer William Goyen, one of the most overlooked modernist writers of the 20th century.

They were a couple from 1963 until Goyen’s death in 1983, and Roberts often talked of her fondness for the author.

Roberts, who was 90, died of natural causes, her family said. She was on the “Raymond” show from 1996 to 2005, winning four Emmys for her role. She also won an Emmy for “St. Elsewhere.”

Before moving to Los Angeles, Roberts was a struggling actress on Broadway and a member of the Actors Studio.

Roberts was born in St. Louis on Nov. 4, 1925, and grew up in New York. Before marrying Goyen, she was married to Michael Cannata from 1956 to 1962 and had one son, Michael Cannata Jr.

Goyen’s most critically acclaimed novel was “The House of Breath” in 1950. If you want to know more about Goyen’s relationship with Roberts, go here.